Reclining chair of the double movement type



Nov. 21, 1961 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,009,735

RECLINING CHAIR OF THE DOUBLE MOVEMENT TYPE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 27, 1958 FIG. I.

" INVENTOR.

Fmowo F! GCHL/EPHACAE Nov. 21, 1961 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,009,735

RECLINING CHAIR OF THE DOUBLE MOVEMENT TYPE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27, 1958 INVENTOR. FR/DTJOP F. LS'CNL/EPHACKE Nov. 21, 1961 F. F. SCHLIEPHACKE 3,009,735

RECLINING CHAIR OF THE DOUBLE MOVEMENT TYPE Filed 001:. 27. 1958 s Sheets-Sheet a M M INVENTOR. W Fk/DT/OF A saw: /P//4CK 3,009,735 RECLINING CHAIR OF THE DOUBLE MOVEMENT TYPE Fridtjof F. Schliephacke, Berlin-Schmargendorf, Germany, assignor to Anton Lorenz, Boynton Beach, Fla. Filed Oct. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 769,726 7 Claims. (Cl. 297-85) The present invention relates to improvements in reclining chairs and in particular to a new and improved leg-rest and seat control structure for a reclining chair of the double-movement type.

The usual reclining chair generally features a seat and a back-rest movably mounted on a support frame for movement between an upright sitting position and a rearwardly-inclined reclining position. A leg-rest is conventionally included in the chair structure and is provided with a control and actuating mehcanism, generally in the form of a linkage, which is coupled to the seat and/or to the back-rat for coordinated movement of the leg-rest with the seat and back-rest. The leg-rest is normally disposed in a retracted position beneath the front end of the seat when the seat and back-rest are in their upright sitting position, and is then moved by the leg-rest linkage to an extended leg-supporting position forwardly of and substantially at the level of the seat when the seat and back-rest are brought to their reclining position.

A recent development in reclining chairs has been the double movement type of chair in which the seat and back-rest are constructed and arranged to be moved through a first motion phase to an intermediate or semireclined position and then to a fully reclined position. In the intermediate or semi-reclined position the occupant of the chair is supported in a relaxed but still substantially upright attitude in which he may read, view television, or the like, with his legs extended and supported. in the fully reclined position, the occupant is positioned in an attitude of repose for complete relaxation. In this type of double movement chair, a special leg-rest control linkage is required to bring the leg-rest to its extended position in the intermediate semi-reclined position of the chair, and to maintain the leg-rest extended at the level of the seat in the fully reclined position of the chair.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reclining chair of the double movement type which incorporates an improved seat control mechanism which will guide the seat to a first inclined position relative to the back-rest in the intermediate or semi-reclined position of the chair, and will then automatically guide the seat to a further inclined position relative to the back-rest in the fully reclined position of the chair.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a leg-rest control and actuating linkage for a double movement reclining chair of the character described, which is adapted to move the leg-rest to a first extended leg-supporting position in response to movement of the seat and back-rest to their intermediate semi-reclined position, and is also adapted to maintain the leg-rest substantially at the level of the seat when the seat and back-rest are moved to their fully reclined position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a reclining chair of the character described in which the seat control mechanism and leg-rest control mechanism are inter-related for cooperative automatic action in coordinating movement of the leg-rest with movement of the seat and in maintaining the leg-rest at the level of the seat when the latter is moved from the semi-reclined to the fully reclined position.

According to my invention, I provide a reclining chair of the double movement type in which the back-rest is pivotally mounted on the support frame and is connected to an actuating link which moves rearwardly with the back-rest when the latter is pivoted rearwardly on the support frame. The seat is connected to the actuating link so that the seat will also move rearwardly with the backrest. A seat control assembly is provided to tilt the seat as the latter is moved rearwardly, this assembly including a first guiding link which is pivotally mounted on the support and is maintained in an inactive position when the back rest and seat are moved through a first motion phase to the intermediate semi-reclined position. A second guiding link i pivotally mounted on the first guiding link and is connected to the forward portion of the seat in such a manner that when the seat is moved rearwardly with the back-rest during the first motion phase, the second guiding link pivots upwardly on the stationary first guiding link and raises the forward portion of the seat to bring the seat to a tilted or inclined attitude. The leg-rest control linkage includes a lever which is pivotally mounted on the first guide link and is connected at one end to the actuating link and at the other end through an intermediate linkage to the leg-rest. When the backrest is tilted rearwardly the actuating link turns the lever about its pivotal connection with the first guiding link, thereby causing it to raise the leg-rest to its exendcd position through said intermediate linkage. At the end of the first motion phase, the first guiding link locks with the leg-rest actauting linkage in such a manner as to cause the actuating link to move the first guiding link rearwardly about its pivot when the back-rest is moved during a second motion phase, and the first guide link pivots upwardly to further incline the seat and also to maintain the leg-rest in its extended position.

The above brief description will be more fully appreciated and additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating several illustrative embodiments of the invention, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a double movement type of reclining chair made in accordance with the present invention, showing said chair in its upright sitting position, with portions thereof broken away or shown in section to reveal inner constructional details;

FIG. 2 is a similar side elevational view of the chair shown in FIG. 1, but illustrating the chair in its intermediate or semi-rec1ined position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 but showing the reclining chair thereof in its fully-reclined position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified embodiment of reclining chair made in accordance with the invention and incorporating a different type of leg-r6st control structure, the chair being shown in its upright sitting position;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the chair shown in FIG. 4 but illustrating the intermediate or semi-reclined position of the structure; and

FIG. 6 is a side el vational View similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 but showing the chair illustrated therein in its fullyreclined position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown a reclining chair made in accordance with the present invention, in whichthe leg-rest is connected directly to the front end of the seat. The reclining chair, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, includes a support frame 12 having opposed side walls 14 and 16 which are rigidly connected by suitable cross bars or braces such as the cross bar 18, and preferably raised above the floor level by depending legs 26 of any suitable type.

A body-supporting structure which includes a back- I rest 22 and a seat 24 is movably mounted on the support frame 12 between the side walls 14 and 16; The backrest 22 is pivotally mounted at its lower end on the support 12 by a pivot 26 so that it may be rearwardly tilted about said pivot 26 to its semi-reclined position shown in FIG. 2, and then further to its fully reclined position shown in FIG. 3. The seat 24 has a rigid arm 28 extending rearwardly therefrom and connected by pivot 30 to an actuating link 32, the rear end of which is connected by pivot 34 to the back-rest 22 at a point spaced above the back-rest pivot 26. It will thus be appreciated that when the back-rest is pivoted rearwardly, the actuating link 32 is drawn rearwardly with it, the actuating link in turn drawing the seat 24 rearwardly, with the result that the seat is moved rearwardly in response to rearward pivoting movement of the back-rest.

To cause the seat 24 to tilt or incline as it is moved rearwardly in response to rearward pivoting movement of the back-rest 22, a seat control assembly is provided, this assembly including a first guide link 36 and a second guide link 38. The first guide link 36 is pivotally mounted at one end on the support frame 12 by a pivot 40, and is connected intermediate its ends by a pivot 42 to the lower end of the second guide link 38. At its top end, the second guide link 38 is pivoted at 44 to the seat 24 at a point spaced well forwardly of the rear end of the seat. In the vicinity of the pivot 42, the first guide link 36 rests upon the cross brace 18 of the support frame 12, and is normally maintained in this position by the weight of the seat 24 acting through the second guide link 38. This position of the first guide link 36 constitutes an inactive position thereof in which the said first guide link 36 serves as a fixed portion of the support frame 12. In the first motion phase of the chair parts, when the seat and backrest are moved to the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 2, the second guide link 38 turns rearwardly about its pivot 42 on the immovable first guide link 36. As shown in FIG. 1, when the chair is in the upright sitting position, the second guide link 33 is inclined forwardly and upwardly from its pivotal connection 42 on the first guide link 36. Thus, when the seat 24 is moved rearwardly with the back-rest 22 in the first motion phase, the link 38 pivots upwardly and rearwardly, moving toward a vertically upright position, and consequently raising the forward portion of the seat 24 so that the seat assumes the inclined attitude shown in FIG. 2. In the second phase of movement of the chair parts, from the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 2 to the fully reclined position of FIG. 3, the forward portion of the first guide link 36 is engaged and moved rearwardly by the leg-rest actuating means for further tilting movement of the seat 24, in a manner which will be presently described.

The chair shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 also includes a legrest 46 pivotally mounted on the front end of the seat 24 for movement from a retracted position beneath the scat, shown in FIG. 1, to various extended leg-supporting positions forwardly of the seat, as shown in H88. 2 and 3. The leg-rest is carried by a hanger bar 48, the free end of which is pivotally connected at 50 to the front end of the seat 24. Actuating means are also provided to cause the leg-rest to pivot upwardly about its pivot 50 to the various extended positions in response to movement of the body-supporting means to the reclined positions. Such leg-rest actuating means includes the actuating link 32 as well as a link or lever 52 and a connecting link 54. The lever 52 is mounted intermediate its ends on the forward end of the first guide link 36 by a pivot 56. At its lower end the lever 52 is connected to the forward end of the actuating link 32 by a pivot 53, and at its upper end the lever 52 is connected by a pivot 69 to the rear end of the connecting link 54. The front end of the connecting link 54 is pivoted at 61 to the hanger bar 48.

As was previously explained, the first guide link 36 remains in its inactive position of FIG. 1 during the first motion phase of the chair, with the result that during the first motion phase the intermediate pivotal mount 56 of the lever 52 on said first guide link 36 is an immovable pivot. Rearward movement of the back-rest 12 during the first motion phase draws the actuating link 32 rearwardly and causes the actuating link to exert rearward pressure on the lower arm 62 of lever 52, thereby causing lever 52 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, about its pivot 56. During such pivotal movement of lever 52, its upper arm 64 moves forwardly, thereby urging the connecting link 54 in a forward and upward direction to raise the leg-rest 46 to its extended position of FIG. 2, in which it is substantially at the level of the front end of the seat 24.

It will be observed that the lever 52 carries at its bottom end a rigid locking member or car 66. As the actuating link 32 is drawn rearwardly with the backrest 22 during the first motion phase and the lever 52 is turned about its pivot 56, the locking member or car 66 is drawn into engagement with the forward end of the first guide link 36 in the manner shown in FIG. 2. This engagement causes a temporary halt in the rearward movement of the back-rest 22 and seat 24 and constitutes the end of the first motion phase. This also defines the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 2, since the actuating link 32 can no longer move rearwardly relative to the stationary and inactive first guide link 36. It will be appreciated that the stop member 66 may be placed at the forward end of the actuating link 32 rather than at the bottom of the lever 52 as illustrated, to effect the same blocking result.

As the actuating link 32 can no longer move rearwardly relative to the first guide link 36, the first guide link 36 must now turn in a rearward direction about its pivot 40 in order to permit further rearward movement of the seat and back-rest. .Thus, when the structure is moved from the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 2 to the fully-reclined position of FIG. 3, the actuating link 3-2 is again drawn rearwardly with the back-rest 22, but during this second motion phase it is rigidly engaged, through the stop member or ear 66, with the forward end of the first guide link 36 so that it raises said forward end and causes the first guide link 36 to pivot in a rearward and upward direction about the pivot 40.

A stop member 70' is formed rigidly with the support frame 12 and is located to engage the second guide link 38 and/or the first guide link 36 in the vicinity of the pivot 42 to restrain further rearward pivoting movement of said first guide link 36, and thereby set the extreme limit of movement of the chair structure in its second motion phase and define the extreme reclined position shown in FIG. 3.

The operation of the reclining chair may be readily appreciated by a comparison of the chair positions shown in FIGS. 1-3. When the chair occupant is seated in the chair in the upright sitting position illustrated in FIG. 1 and wishes to move the chair structure to a reclining position, he exerts his weight rearwardly against the backrest 22, causing the back-rest to pivot rearw'ardly about its pivot 26. This rearward'pivoting movement of the back-rest draws the actuating link 32 and the seat 24 rearwardly. As the seat moves rearwardly, it carries with it the top end of the second guide link 38 at the pivotal connection 44, causing the link 38 to pivot in an upward and rearward direction about its lower pivot 42. The second guide link 38, which was forwardly inclined in the sitting position of FIG. 1, is thus moved to a more upstanding vertical position, as shown in FIG. 2, to raise the forward portion of the seat 24 as the latter moves rearwardly, and thereby bring the seat to the intermediate inclined position shown in FIG. 2. It will be appreciated that the initial path of movement of the seat 24 is a compound movement, the rear end of the seat being lowered by the back-rest and the front portion of the seat being raised by the second guide link 38.

It will also be observed that during this first motion phase of the seat 24 and back-rest 22 from the sitting position to the intermediate semi-reclined position, the first guide link 36 remains immovable in its inactive position resting upon the cross brace 18. The second guide link 38 pivots upwardly on the immovable first guide link 36, the latter acting as a fixed portion of the support frame during this first motion phase. The first motion phase is terminated by engagement of the stop member or ear 66 of lever 52 with the forward portion of the first guide link 36, as previously described, and as shown in FIG. 2.

In the movement of the body-supporting members from the upright sitting position to the intermediate semi-reclined position, the leg-rest control linkage is effective to raise the leg-rest 46 from its retracted position of FIG. 1 to its extended position of FIG. 2, this being accomplished by rearward movement of the actuating link 32 relative to the intermediate pivotal mount 56 of the lever 52. The actuating link 32, in moving rearwardly with the back-rest, exerts a rearward pulling force on the lower lever arm 62 at the pivotal connection 58, and since the first guide link 36 remains immovable during this first motion phase, the lever 52 turns about its inter mediate pivot 56, thereby thrusting its upper arm 64 in a forward direction and moving the connecting link 54 in a forward and upward direction for raising the leg-rest 46 to its extended position of FIG. 2.

Upon conclusion of the first motion phase, the occupant may return the chair to the sitting position of FIG. 1 by shifting his weight forwardly, or he may apply further rearward pressure against the back-rest to bring the chair to the fully reclined position shown in FIG. 3. In the latter event, the application of further rearward pressure by the occupant will cause a rearward shift in the center of gravity of the seat and back-rest, which will be effective to cause the first guide link 36 to turn upwardly and rearwardly about its pivot 40. In pivoting upwardly, the first guide link 36 raises the second guide link 38 to efiect further tilting of the seat 24 as the latter is moved rearwardly; in this instance, the first and second guide links 36 and 38 acting as a unitary seat control link, the length of which is the distance between pivot 40 and pivot 44. This movement of the back-rest and seat in the second motion phase continues until one or both of the guide links 36 and 38 engages with and is stoped by the stop member 70 in the extreme fullyreclined position of the chair shown in FIG. 3.

In the movement of the chair structure during the second motion phase, the first guide link 36 is rigidly and imrnova-bly locked with the lever 52 by the locking member or ear 66 so that it raises the lever 52 and the connecting link 54, and thereby maintains the leg-rest in an extended position forwardly of the front end of the seat 24. As the leg-rest control linkage is raised as a unit during the second motion phase, aslig'ht angular displacement will take place between the lever 52 and the connecting link 54 with the result that the leg-rest 46 will be lowered slightly relative to the seat 24. The legrest will, however, still be maintained in a leg-supporting position at the front of the seat 24 and will still be substantially at a level with the seat in alignment with the proper contour of the body in the fully-reclined position.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 4-6, there is shown a further embodiment of reclining chair which is similar to that shown in FIGS. l-3, except that the legrest is provided with a different type of control linkage for guiding it between its retracted and extended positions. For convenience, similar structural elements in the embodiments of FIGS. 4-6 are designated by the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. l-3, as part of a 100 series.

The reclining chair 110 again includes a support frame 112 having side walls 114, 116 connected by cross braces such as the cross brace 118, and supported by depending legs 120. The body-supporting structure comprises a back-rest 122 mounted by pivot 126 on the support frame 112, and 'a seat 124 having a rigid arm 128 which is pivotally connected to an actuating link 132 at pivot 130. The actuating link is connected at 134 to the back-rest 122 at a point above the back-rest pivot 126.

The seat control assembly comprises a first guide link 136 mounted on the support frame by pivot 140 and normally maintained in an inactive position shown in FIG. 4, resting upon the cross brace 118. The lower end of a second guide link 138is pivoted at 142 to the first guide link 136, while the upper end of the second guide link is pivoted to the seat 124 at a point 144 lo cated forwardly of the lower pivot 142, so that in a sitting position the second guide link 138 is inclined forwardly and upwardly.

For actuation of the leg-rest 146, the chair again is provided with a lever 152 pivotally mounted at 156 intermediate its ends on the front end of the first guide link 136. Again, a connecting link 154 is provided to connect the upper lever arm 164 with the leg-rest guiding linkage, the rear end of said connecting link 154 being pivoted at 160 to the upper lever arm 164. The lower lever arm 162 is pivotally connected at #158 to the forward end of the actuating link 132. The lever 152 is again provided with a blocking member or ear 166 positioned to engage the first guide link 136 in the intermediate semineclined position of the chair shown in FIG. 5.

A stop member 170 rigidly mounted on the support frame 112 is positioned to engage one of the guide links 136 or 138 at the end of the second phase of movement of the chair in order to define the extreme reclined position thereof, shown in FIG. 6.

The aforementioned parts of the chair 110 illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6 are identical with those of the chair 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and previously described. Modifi-ed means are, however, provided to support the legrest 146 and guide the latter for movement between its retracted position and its extended position. The legrest 146 is carried by a pair of links 172 and 174 which are mounted at spaced points on said leg-rest by respective pivots 176 and 178. The links 172 and 174 are connected in end-to-end relationship with respective depending links 180 and 182 by pivots (184 and 186. The top ends of the depending links 180 and 182 are mounted at spaced points on the forward portion of the seat 124 by respective pivots 188 and 190. The link 174 crosses over the depending link 180 and is connected at its crossing over point by pivot 192. The front end of the connecting link 154 is pivotally connected to the front depending link 180 at point 194 located between pivots 188 and 192.

In this embodiment of the invention, the leg-rest linkage constitutes an interconnected double four bar linkage, one four bar linkage being formed by the depending links 180 and 182, the portion of link 174 between pivots 186 and 192, and the portion of the seat 124 between the pivots 188 and 190. The other four bar linkage is formed by link 172, the portion of link .174 between pivots 178 and 192, the portion of depending link 180 between pivots 184 and 192, and the portion of the leg-rest 146 between the pivots 176 and 178. Thus, it will be apparent that in following my invention, the leg-rest need not be mounted directly on the seat as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3, but may be provided with guide linkages of various types to produce desired leg-rest movements.

The movement of the back-rest 122 and seat 124 to the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 5 and then to the fully-reclined position of FIG- 6 is identical to the movements described in connection with the structure of FIGS. 1-3. As the back-rest 122 is pivoted rearwardly, the actuating link 132 is drawn in a rearward direction causing the seat 124 to also move in a rearward direction and pivot the second guide link 138 upwardly upon the stationary first guide link 136. The second guide link 138 thus raises the forward portion of the seat 124 to bring the seat to an inclined position. At the intermediate semi-reclined position, the ear 166 on the lever 152 engages the first guide link 136, thereby blocking further movement of the actuating link 132 relative to the first guide link 136. As the back-rest is pivoted to the reclined position, the first guide link 136 then pivots upwardly about pivot 140, further tilting the seat through the second guide link 138.

As the structure is moved rearwardly from the sitting position of FIG. 4 to the intermediate semi-reclined position of FIG. 5, the actuating link 132 exerts a rearward pulling force on the lower arm 162 of lever 152, causing said lever to turn about the pivot 156, whereby its upper arm164 thrusts the connecting link 154 in a forward and upward direction. The connecting link 154, through its pivotal connection 194, thereby thrusts the depending link 180 forwardly and upwardly about its pivot 188 to raise the leg-rest to its extended position of FIG. 5, the links 172, 174 and 182 cooperating to bring the leg-rest 146 to a horizontally-disposed attitude forwardly of the seat.

When the body-supporting structure is moved to the fully reclined position of FIG. 6, the lever 152 and connecting link 154 are moved upwardly with the first guide link 136, and the leg-rest 146 is thus maintained in its extended position substantially at the level of the seat.

While several preferred embodiments of my invention have been shown and described herein it is obvious that numerous omissions, changes and additions may be made in such embodiments without departing; from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A reclining chair comprising a support, a back-rest pivotally mounted on the support for rearward pivoting movement, an actuating link pivotally connected to said back-rest above the pivotal mount of the latter on the support, a seat pivotally mounted at its rear end on said actuating link for rearward movement in response to rearward pivoting movement of said back-rest, said backrest and seat being movable through a first motion phase from a sitting position to an intermediate semi-reclined position and subsequently through a second motion phase from said intermediate position to a fully-reclined position, seat control means for inclining said seat relative to said bacik-rest in both of said motion phases, a leg-rest, and leg-rest control means for moving the leg-rest from a retracted position beneath the seat to an extended position forwardly of the front end of the seat during said first motion phase, said seat control means including a first guide member pivotally mounted on the support and resting in an inactive and immovable position during said first motion phase, a second guide member pivotally mounted on said first guide member and connected to the forward portion of the seat for rearward movement therewith during said first motion phase, the second guide member pivoting upwardly and rearwardly to raise the forward portion of the seat, and means rigidly coupling said first guide member with said actuating link for turning said first guide member about its pivot on the support during said second motion phase whereby the first guide member is raised with said second guide member, said leg-rest control means including a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said first guide member, means coupling one arm of said lever to said actuating link for actuation of said lever by rearward movement of said actuating link with the back-rest during the first motion phase, and means coupling the other arm of said lever to said leg-rest, said lever being raised with the first guide link du'rmg the second motion phase to maintain the leg-rest in its, extended position.

2. A reclining chair according to claim 1 in which the means for turning said first guide member about its pivot on the support during said second motion phase includes a blocking member movable with the. actuating link and engageable with said first guide member to rigidly join said actuating link with said first guide member.

3. A reclining chair according to claim 2 in which said blocking member is carried by the arm of the lever to which the actuating link is connected, the blocking member being positioned to engage the first guide member in the intermediate position of the chair.

4. A reclining chair comprising a support, a back-rest pivotally mounted at its lower end on the support for rearward pivoting movement, an actuating link pivotally connected to said back-rest above the pivotal mount of the latter on the support and extending forwardly from said back-rest, a seat pivotally mounted at its rear end on said actuating link for rearward movement with said actuating link in response to rearward pivoting movement of said back-rest, said back-rest and seat being movable through a first motion phase from a sitting position to an intermediate semi-reclined position and subsequently through a second motion phase from said intermediate to a :fully reclined position, seat control means for inclining said seat relative to said back-rest as the seat is moved rearwardly, a leg-rest, and leg-rest control means for moving the 1eg-rest from a retracted position beneath the seat to an extended position forwardly of the front end of the seat during said first motion phase, said seat control means including a first guide link pivotally mounted at its rear end on the support and resting in an inactive and immovable position during said first motion phase, a second guide link pivotally mounted on the first guide link and pivotally connected to an intermediate point on the seat, said second guide link being forwardly and upwardly inclined for rearward and upward movement upon the stationary first guide link when the seat is moved rearwardly, whereby to raise the forward portion of the seat during the first motion phase, stop means positioned to engage the first guide member at the intermediate semi-reclined position to block further rearward movement of said actuating link relative to said first guide member and to cause said actuatinglink to raise said first guide member during said second motion phase, said leg-rest control means including a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said guide member, one arm of said lever being pivotally connected to said actuating link for actuation of said lever by rearward movement of said actuating link with the back-rest during the first motion phase, and a connecting link connected to the other arm of said lever and operatively connected to the legrest.-

5. A reclining chair according to claim 4 in which the leg-rest control means also includes an arm rigid with the leg-rest and pivotally mounted on the front end of the seat, the connecting link being pivotally connected to said arm.

6. A reclining chair according to claim 4 in which the leg-rest control means also includes a pair of depending links pivotally mounted at spaced points on the forward end of the seat and a pair of rearwardly-extending links pivo-tally mounted at spaced points on the leg-rest, pivot means interconnecting said depending links and rearwardly-extending links to form a double four-bar linkage mounting the leg-rest on the seat, the connecting link being pivotally coupled to one of said depending links.

7. In a reclining chair, a support, a body-supporting means including a seat andback-rest mounted on said support for rearward inclining and reclining movement respectively, and means for controlling the inclining movement of seat as a function of said reclining movement of said back-rest, said controlling means including a first guide link movably mounted on the support, a second guide link movably mounted on said first guide link, said second guide link being connected to the front portion of said seat, means coupling the rear portion of said seat to said back-rest for rearward movement of the seat in response to reclining movement of the back-rest, said second guide link guiding the front pontion of said seat and inclining the latter during the first motion phase in which said seat is brought to an intermediate semi-reclined positon, means supporting said first guide link in an inactive position during said first motion phase whereby said inactive first guide link serves as a fixed support for the second guide link, an actuating linkage operatively connected to said hack-rest, said actuating linkage being moved by, said hack-rest through a lost motion movement relative to the stationary first guide link during the first motion phase and engaging said first guide link at said intermediate semi-reclined position and rigidly coupling said second guide link with said first guide link for subsequent simultan-teous movement about the movable 10 mount of the first guide link on the support during a second motion phase in which the seat is further inclined to a fully-reclined position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,642,122 Marurer June 16, 1953 2,746,520 Ducrot May 22, 1956 2,801,675 Krikorian Aug. 6, 1957 2,875,814 Schliephaeke Mar. 3, 1959 2,888,978 Schliephacke June 2, 1959 2,918,109 Schliephaoke Dec. 22, 1959 2,918,113 Lorenz Dec. 22, 1959 

